Darud35

I've been rebuilding my 951 engine. So far it's been going really well. I found a block that's within specs and looks great (also been hot tanked). The head and valves looked really good. I've got a full rebuild kit so I can do a proper rebuild.*

I've been using a product called purple power to clean and degrease many parts. I'm sure many of you have used it. It's been working really well...until tonight.*

Good turbo block (I was told it had 57K on it):


Turbo head (cleaned with purple power, new seals installed):



All is well so far right?? Well now onto my cam housing. I let it soak in a Purple Power solution (about 4 parts water and 1 part PP):*


On the right is what soaked in the PP mix. Look what it did to the machined surface!! Not only is the mating surface irregular, but the cam follower journal is too! The followers don't seat the same either. There's a bit more play in them.*

I can't believe what happened! Oddly enough, the plastic container I used shows no damage. So beware fellow enthusiasts!*

refresh951

How long did it soak? I use PP all the time but I have never soaked anything. I use a spray bottle, a brush and rinse with water.

Darud35

It soaked overnight.. Too long I guess. I never thought it would eat through metal, especially with a good amount of water mixed in. Live and learn I guess!

Much like the clutch story huh??

BlueRiver86

PP Contains Sodium metasiicate, which is highly basic (alkaline) ~13pH. It is highly corrosive, especially to aluminum.

refresh951

It is official, you are now in the club!

Read a few stories on the net about "Do not soak". Lart or Josh B should be able to fix you up with a Cam Tower. I guess you can be grateful you did not soak the block

reno808

I always use kerosene

CDH-CTT

I used it to clean the carbon off the tops of my pistons on the engine Im building, I NEVER let it sit over night !!! I was scared it would do that!!! I figured out that if you let it soak for an hour and scrub the heavy stuff off then let it soak again and keep doing that it works great!!!! the bad thing it that stuff is VERY bad for your skin!!! So gloves and eye protection are a must..... That stuff work great on EVERYTHING!!!! Cleans my concrete garage floor great, but it looks weird with all the clean spots now....hahaha

theedge

Ive never had that issue but ive never soaked something in it for very long.

Using hot water works better than soaking, FYI. A spray bottle also helps it work a lot better, I use a $20 plastic garden sprayer. That combined with hot water gets anything off/out/clean/etc.

lart951

I use purple power to clean all my parts, a-arms, oil pans, headers, but I use it leave for 3-45 sec and rinse off, is a acid read the instructions, best degreaser ever

good news is that I have all the parts that you damaged available

onspeed

And sodium hydroxide, a strong base. Actually eats away at glass in higher concentrations... commonly used as bath for dirty glassware in labs cause it'll remove a layer of the glass. I'm surprised it did that overnight in a 4:1 solution though.

Out of curiosity, where/when did you get that block?

F18Rep

Yea, the only problem I've had with it (actually the sister product Superclean) is that it works too well and removes that invisible thin coat of oil that is on places like the cam cover, ATV engine, transcase, etc. They then start to slowly corrode with little spots showing up a few months later. There's probably something better but my fix so far to mist on a little thin oil after everything is rinsed and dry.

Will have to try it on the floor, good idea.
Bruce
PS. it goes after magnesium even worse than aluminum.
PSS. I put some in my parts cleaner but the fumes are too strong to stand near it.

pkt1213

Got an extra turbo cam tower sitting in the garage.

Tedro951

PP makes my hands look like that 125 year old Japanese guy that ate yogurt every day.

Love the stuff.

lart951

what's the difference between the turbo cam housing and the na?

Olli Snellman

Nothing. They are identical.